GRANGEVILLE, Idaho – Board members approved a new policy to allow trained teachers and staff members to carry guns.
School leaders of Mountain View School District said they have wanted to arm teachers because they are unable to afford school resource officers.
Mountain View School district is very rural, in fact, it is the sixth largest school district by land in the continental United States. The school said resource officers are hard to come by and in a violent emergency, staff members would be the first line of defense.
Under the new rules, certain administrators and staff members can volunteer to become what the district’s calling “security officers.” Before they are given guns, though, there are some checks in place.
Staff members who volunteer to carry must first receive an enhanced concealed weapons license form the state. These staff will also undergo mental and possibly physical evaluations. Decisions on who gets to carry are ultimately up to the school board, and school leaders can strip a security officer of their duties and firearm at any time.
by Taylor Viydo